A common question we are asked is if you can buy particular steel bed frame parts to make a king size head board adapt to the bed frame of a queen size mattress and boxspring? The answer is no, especially if you want your headboard to look normal and acceptable to others. A steel bed frame that fits a king size mattress is 76 inches wide. The frame is designed to fit and accommodate a king size headboard. The king headboard all though slightly wider than the mattress and steel bed frame by an inch or so is built as such for aesthetic purposes. The king headboard is considerably wider than a queen size mattress and bed frame which measures a significant 16 inches narrower. By using a king headboard with a queen mattress and bed frame it would leave 8 inches of king size headboard exposed on each side of the mattress and would be very unattractive. Here is a link to all standard mattress sizes to help you better understand.

Author: Douglas Belleville

Doug Belleville and his father Dave own and run STLBeds - a specialty sleep store located in Arnold, MO. The staff at STLBeds is highly educated about sleep, comfort and their special sleep products. STLBeds only carries high quality mattresses and bed-related products. You won't find the brand names here - click here to find out why!

13 Comments

We have a king size poster bed which needs to be connected on the outsides and also down the center since there needs to be a hook to support the posters in the center of the bed both at the top and bottom of the bed. So far we have not been able to find a system that would connect the center of the bed. We need a ledger on both sides of the center to support the twin extra long box foundation. Can you help us?? Thank you.

Laurie, Most bookcase headboards have a bolt up configuration. These headboard are also free standing and require little or no support from the steel bed frame. Most book case headboards are also are designed to connect to both California King and Eastern King size beds. Here is a link to our frames with bolt up connections that will work. Bolt up frame

I have a California King brass headboard and footboard I purchased in the mid-80s from South Korea. I would like to use my brass bed with a queen sized frame…can this be done? Or will I have better luck with a regular King frame?

Linda I do not offer adaptation pieces to fit queen bed to king or Cal. King headboards. There are systems on line that can do this, but the difference in size in my opinion is that when it is finished they do not work together well and look very strange. Doug

I have a queen bed and I want to know if I get a king headboard would it fit on the long side of the mattress ..my bed is against the wall side ways so I want to place a headboard along the side please say it can lol ?

Shakari, Placing the headboard against the wall, anchoring it, or some other means you can come up with to secure it is up to you. To my knowledge there is no hardware to do this I have available. You will want to measure your headboard length and mattress length and then determine if this is acceptable and will work for you. Good luck Doug 😉

Karen, Not sure if you can. The best thing to do is reach out to us at the toll free number at the top of this page. We will get the details about your bed and have you email or text pictures to see if you have any options. Look forward to speaking with you. Doug

Jackie, Cutting down a king size bed to a queen is a huge ordeal. In some cases it may not even be possible. I would only consider using a furniture builder / restorer / re-finisher that can should they have the knowledge and skills to do such a job. Thank you for you question. Doug